NDP MP Helene Laverdiere - the bill's sponsor - is now doing last-minute lobbying before parliamentarians vote Wednesday on whether to send it to committee.

"This bill will save lives, this bill will save children - there is a moral imperative to this bill," she said.

In 2004, The House passed Canada's Access to Medicine Regime, which was intended to improve access to Canadian generic drugs for treating diseases such as HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis in Africa and other poor regions.

Generic drug companies claim red tape is preventing them from shipping more drugs under the regime. Only two batches have been shipped overseas since 2004.

Laverdiere's private-member's bill aims to cut some of that red tape.

A similar bill went to the Senate in 2011 but died on the order paper when the federal election was called. A number of Tory MPs who supported that version of the legislation appear poised to vote against it this time.